In iOS 9, the iPad is gaining a feature that will completely change the way a lot of us use our tablets, introducing functionality that will make it much easier to use the iPad as a serious computer replacement. That feature, which has been much-desired for several years now, is multitasking.

We went hands-on with iOS 9 to check out the multitasking feature on an iPad Air 2, and made a quick video to share what the new features look and feel like.

Skitch is a fantastic tool for annotating images. It enables the user to precisely point to features of interest and add text. There are many ways this could be used. One instance is like the image above where I have added key questions to an image. This provides more focus than merely presenting a blank image and prompts discussion. Following on from this, I have given learners the blank background image and asked them to annotate theirs by answering the questions. Alternatively, a teacher could present a blank image and ask students to identify the key features and annotate it live, based on students feedback. Although this could have traditionally been done by projecting an image and annotating it using a whiteboard marker, the great thing about Skitch is that all of that great feedback is not lost: it’s stored in a clear way which can then be distributed to students as a point of reference.

In the 1:1 Chromebook classroom, we don't use Apps, but rather Chrome extensions. I was looking for a way for students to annotate images, and this app led me back to Evernote Web Clipper. We'll be evaluating this and other extensions with similar function for the next school year.

If you are looking for a bird's eye view on what alternative collaboration tools are now available for different kind of projects and purposes, I do have what you are looking for.

The new Best Online Collaboration Tools 2014 directory is now public. It contains over 370 collaboration tools organized in over 25 different categories ranging from video-conferencing to screen-sharing, collaborative reviewing and many more.

The tools listed have all been checked and verified and represent my own personal census on what is available today for each one of the categories listed. There is no attempt (yet) to provide individual evaluations or recommendations, though I have tried to subjectively rank tools in each category according to their value and importance.

The directory is updated weekly.

New suggestions, comments and request for revisions and changes are highly welcome.

"These days, very little comes out of Hollywood without special effects added in post-production. Our favorite superhero movies, science fiction thrillers and fast-paced action movies just wouldn't be the same without them. However, these video effects are no longer the preserve of video professionals. Technology has advanced quickly, and you can now replicate these very same effects to make photos and videos come to life on your iPad. Here's how."

For this week's Top Picks List Friday, we are featuring websites and apps for making videos and animations. Teachers know that video making is a tried and true way to get kids engaged in building, demonstrating, and sharing knowledge. These apps and sites feature user-friendly tools and features...

With the arrival of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Apple transformed iCloud into a fully-fledged cloud storage solution. Apps can already use iCloud to store and share data, and now Apple allows you to store whatever you like in a folder that syncs across devices. The only problem is that your iPhone doesn't come with an iCloud Drive app,…

A great story teller can transport you to another world. They immerse you in the detail where you can see, smell and hear the narrative they are weaving. Great digital storytelling should be just as engaging and immersive, and tools like Storybird can really help students make this happen. A simple and intuitive writing interface partnered with gorgeously free illustrations, Storybird is one of the most popular tools for digital storytelling in schools around the globe.

Planning a paperless classroom? Here are four important apps you should definitely consider. Using these apps will enable you to create and distribute assignments to your students, provide feedback on your students work, organize your classroom materials, conduct quick formative assessments via quizzes, polls or exit tickets, track grades, record attendance, create seating charts and many more.

Too much time can easily be wasted trying to format documents that have already been put together by someone else. If you use Google Docs, here are 24 time-saving templates that'll let you get on with using the documents, rather than struggling with putting them together in the first place. The templates below have been split…

Padlet is a free service that lets you create online "sticky notes" that you can share and collaborate on. The notes can include images, links and videos, can be moved and arranged and can be embedded into a website.

It's great for brainstorming, story boarding, organizing, projects and more. It is available online and even has a Chrome app and extension, a Kindle app, Safari and Firefox extensions, and a Wordpress plugin.

The research focused on four central themes in order to evaluate the overall effectiveness of these devices in assisting with learning, and was carried out by researchers from the Technology Enhanced Learning Research group at the Faculty of Education at the University.

1. Impact of tablet devices on teaching and learning generally The study found that benefits included greater motivation, engagement, parental involvement and understanding of complex ideas.

2. Leader and management issues (stemming from a deployment of devices) The study found that teachers are ‘equally engaged’ by the use of such a device, which has a low learning curve enabling them to use it immediately as a teaching tool and a learning tool for themselves.

3. Professional development of teachers and how teachers cope with using new technology The research found that ‘use of the device is contributing to significant changes in the way teachers approach their professional role as educators and is changing the way they see themselves and their pedagogy’.

4. Parental engagement The study showed that parents become more engaged with the school and their child’s learning when the iPad travels home with the student.

YouTube is packed with great educational content, but the deep parts of YouTube can also get pretty weird. As a parent, you may not want to let your kids browse too freely. Luckily, YouTube recently released YouTube Kids. YouTube Kids is a free mobile app, available for iOS and Android, which curates educational and entertainment content…

AirDrop is the most incomplete Apple technology since the introduction of Apple Maps with iOS 6. The amount of times it simply does not work for absolutely no reason is downright infuriating. If you've ever sat there, puzzled as to why your two shiny Apple devices don't seem to want to communicate effectively, I empathize. This article is for…

Sharing your scoops to your social media accounts is a must to distribute your curated content. Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.

Integrating your curated content to your website or blog will allow you to increase your website visitors’ engagement, boost SEO and acquire new visitors. By redirecting your social media traffic to your website, Scoop.it will also help you generate more qualified traffic and leads from your curation work.

Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.